Exclusive: Alexis Bledel Talks Anastasia Steele

Forget the long parade of fashion show after fashion show. It was wining and dining for the group of editors, photographers, and stylists who descended upon Isola Trattoria in the Mondrian Soho Tuesday night to preview Beckley by Melissa's Spring 2013 line. Alexis Bledel, still as fresh-faced as her days spent playing Rory Gilmore on Gilmore Girls and more recently Mad Men, hosted the soirée, and spent time working the room in a striped top and skirt from the brand's fall collection. Eager to talk both fashion and Hollywood casting rumors, ELLE.com stole a few minutes with the actress.

ELLE: A lot of the pieces we've seen tonight are printed. Are you drawn to the look yourself when shopping and dressing?

Alexis Bledel: My stylist always tells me to keep it really simple and not do a lot [of them], but I think they're fun. An

individual's expression is more interesting than a kind of cookie-cutter look. Not to go against my stylist's advice or anything, because I think most of the time she's absolutely right.

ELLE: Do you like to shop?

AB: I know what I like, and I try to do it as efficiently as possible. I go through phases where I want to see what's out there, and then other times I'll be focused on something else until I realize I need something in my wardrobe.

ELLE: We heard a little rumor you might be cast as Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey…

AB: I don't know where it came from. All I know about are some fan-made trailers on the internet I've seen, but that's the only thing I've heard.

ELLE: Were you flattered by them or freaked out?

AB: Both.

ELLE: Have you read the books?

AB: Only the first one.

ELLE: Did you pick it up early or are you just hopping on the bandwagon now?

AB: Late…kind of when I saw those trailers. I was like, "Well, I should find out what it is." I read it, and I don't know…I think people react to things for different reasons, and our culture definitely goes through phases. It's interesting to see what becomes popular, because it must be a response to something we're all going through.